Darkness Falling
by Dawndark
Summary: This is a fanfic based on the game Dragon Force, though you don't need to play the game to understand it. Rated 'R' for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Darkness Falling   
  
Dream screamed as her arm was tightly grabbed. She squinted one eye open against the dust and the smoke of the battlefield she had wandered onto. It had been a mistake, traveling so close to enemy lines, and now a tingling sensation ran up her arm as her captor pulled her along.   
Minutes seemed like hours as Dream blindly stumbled onward Her eyes stung painfully from the smoke, and she knew if she screamed the dust rising around her would only engulf the sound. Finally she made it out of the chaos that was a battle between the kingdoms of Fandaria and Tradnor. She stood near a small brush of trees, the dust and smoke had been passed now, and Dream fervently blinked her lovely brownish-black eyes to rid them of smoke.   
"You... You're Gaul's apprentice, correct? The girl looked up to see her captor, the man that had such nerve to pull a bystander along an obvious retreat, and because she didn't recognize the man standing in front of her she noticed that it must have been a retreat on the part of Tradnor. She studied the man that had roughly grabbed her, deciding to wait a second to catch her breath before answering him.   
The man's hair was pitch black in shade, and flopped lazily over his left eye. His eyes were gray-red in shade, a very odd color for eyes, and they still squinted from the harsh smoke. She smiled as she saw his eyes, realizing that she did in fact recognize him.   
"You're-" She was abruptly cut off.   
"I'm afraid you're mistaken, we were talking about you" He hesitated before repeating his question as if Dream were a child. The girl frowned. She could see he wasn't going to let her get anything out before she answered his question.   
"Yes... I am Gaul's apprentice."   
"You go by the name 'Dream' yet that is not your real one, correct?" He asked. Dream looked at him sharply, her name was Dream, she didn't just go by it.   
"Yes" She lied.   
The man nodded. "You shall be my captive"   
'Well of course' Dream wished to say, but kept her mouth shut, remembering who he was.   
"My name is Ramda."   
Dream sneered, "I know your name, if you think I won't kill you you're wrong. You're the enemy!"   
Ramda motioned to his sword "I have protection" Dream continued to sneer, but deep down inside she was riddled with worry. Gaul and Scythe, her guardians, the ones who told her of the apostle of Death, Ramda, would they rescue her? She knew the answer was of course 'no'. She wasn't even a general in the Fandarian army yet, and because she was a woman she was almost nothing to the people of the kingdom. The thoughts swarmed through her head.   
Dumbly she watched as Ramda pulled out a length of rope and bound her hands tightly with it, and she still felt that way when he began to calmly pull her along through the small patches of trees.   
  
It was dark when Ramda finally stopped. They had been trudging non-stop all day. "Good" Dream muttered half to herself, in between gasps. "You're going to make camp! It's about time!"   
Ramda looked at her, she was beautiful, yes, but he wondered if she had an ounce of sense in that head of hers.   
"We're starting out early tomorrow, there's no time to make camp. Hmm, I really would have thought Scythe and Gaul would have told you something about my ways"   
Dream became annoyed. She didn't know what he meant, and she became annoyed with things she didn't understand. A low growl erupted from her throat, but Ramda ignored it, and curled up to go to sleep, leaving Dream thinking about home, and where they were headed.   
She stood there, standing in that pitch black area, where the darkness seemed like it could swallow you up, and descended on every corner around her. Her body desperately wanted air, but didn't seem to need it. Alone in front of her was a creature that seemed to engulf the light, and whose body shone an unholy crimson.   
"The awakening, I can feel it, my blood flows with yours"   
The girl heard, no felt, his voice.   
"What do you mean!?" She cried.   
The darkness took her words.   
Yet there was no motion in the creature in front of her.   
She felt her body shudder, and she sent out her soul to save herself.   
The darkness took it.   
Now there was motion, and the creature, no God. Smiled.   
  
Dream awoke with a start; all of her muscles ached violently. Her slim body rested against a large willow tree. A low sigh came for the girl as she vividly recalled the vision given to her as she slept. Looking around the long branches of the tree, the girl could tell that Ramda was already up, even though dawn wouldn't be for a few more hours. Dream lazily closed her eyes again. And was promptly jerked awake by Ramda. Hastily he pulled her to her feet, and gave her no food.   
Soon they were on their way, and heading north relatively quickly. Dream watched Ramda, waiting for a weakness, the weakness that she had waited for the day before and hadn't found. She had been captured before, and usually that weakness was shone through rage, and once she saw it, attacking and killing him would be easy.   
Dream waited before making her move.   
"Fool!" She cried suddenly "Your plan, it's just so easy to figure out!" Of course Dream hadn't actually figured out his plan, but her lie was needed for her to find his weakness.   
Ramda was taken aback by this. He had never been called a fool, to his face, or elsewhere. Yet a smile lit his face.   
"Gaul's apprentice is brave, isn't she?" Ramda paused, half waiting for an answer. The one he received was certainly not what he had excepted.   
"Madruk's cohort is annoying, isn't he?" Dream snidely remarked. Ramda was at loss for words.   
"Madruk, the Dark God?! Why the Hell would she think I'm one of his followers?! Did Gaul and Scythe tell her this? Anger flared up inside of him, and without warning he grabbed the rope that bound her, and puled her away, not wanting to listen to her foolish gibberish any more.   
  
"The bastard!" Scythe screeched, from deep within the dungeon walls of Fandaria.   
"That's all I know, I swear!" The soldier she had been talking to cried. He had, a minute ago, been searched for evidence by Scythe, to find out where their follower was. Scythe grinned at the soldier, giving him no comfort, she quickly flicked out a dagger, and was please when the fear she saw in her captive's eyes increased dramatically. The soldier couldn't be more then Dream's age of seventeen.   
"Please no..." His whispered, but Scythe paid him no heed, slowly she drew the dagger across him flesh, making little lines and cuts. His dark red blood flowed to the floor, and droplets of it stained the stone below him. She cut him in places until she was able to pull pieces of his skin of, and she pulled the flesh from his bones, and muscle, slowly, using her magic to make him live just until she was done. Finally she was, and the boy fell to the ground, his body making an audible 'thud'.   
Scythe left the room, her moral greatly improved. She left the dead soldier for the guards to clean up and she started on her way out of the dungeon.   
She hadn't made it farther then the dark hallway before the passage out what he appeared. The grotesque form that made up his body would scare the mightiest of warriors. Even Scythe bowed below him, though partly because she had to.   
"Gaul? What brings you here?" Scythe asked, brushing a strand or two of her long straight hair from her face.   
"Did you find anything out about Dream?" He rasped.   
"Ramda has her, so it might be hard to get the bratty child back" Scythe chuckled, she had never liked the girl Dream.   
"And DawnDark"   
"Hmmm? With her all is going according to plan."   
Gaul stiffened at the woman's remark, wondering if she understood what she said.   
"She is with Madruk" Scythe continued, and Gaul had to shake his head at her stupidity.   
"Part of him." He corrected.   
Scythe winced. "Part of him..."   
  
They had been walking north for only three days, and Dream was becoming more and more confused with Ramda's actions. He hadn't spoken to her much at all during her time with him, and it was if he had no weaknesses, she had no opportunity to strike out against him.   
They now walked deep in the woods above her beloved kingdom; she had no idea what Ramda was looking for, but he seemed to be trying hard enough to find it.   
That's when they came across the clearing, and the woman lying in the center of it. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes bright purple. Rips and tears adorned her tattered clothes.   
"Rape?" Dream thought. "No... Something doesn't seem right about this woman" Dream concentrated for a moment. A magic shield had been placed around the woman in the clearing. She penetrated it. "Dragonmen" She muttered. The Dragonmen; a feared race of half dragon half man creatures. Once Scythe had told her 'If you're ever in trouble you can look to the Dragonmen to save you' then Gaul explained that only two Dragonmen had proven to have been evil, Gigg, and Vangal.   
Dream hadn't really understood what Scythe had meant, but Gaul's words were clear, stay away from those two Dragonmen. But what were the chances this would be one of them? Why would it choose another form, if it were evil it would be a general of Ramda, right?   
Ramda stood and walked to the woman, his sword was drawn. The woman quickly moved from her sitting position to stand in front of Ramda. Then the changed began. Her hair started to disappear, her eyes became larger, and her skin rougher and it changed form tan to purple as scales emerged. Slowly the Dragonmen form appeared.   
Ramda's face showed no emotion, though Dream could sense that he was happier then he had been. "Gigg? What are you doing here?"   
"Gigg, it really figures." Dream muttered.   
  
The two began their journey with a new addition to the group, the Dragonmen Gigg. They continued in silence, with the exception of a few comments from Gigg, who tried lightening the mood more then once with no luck. They settled down to rest at nightfall, and Dream fell peacefully asleep, though very worried, considering the chances of her escape now were zero.   
  
The woman stood there again, where the darkness covered all. She saw and felt nothing, but the word Tristan flew through her mind. She felt as if she should be proud for hearing the word, and yet a deep emptiness was now apparent inside her and an extreme feeling of confusion and remorse flooded her body. So the woman cried out softly, and felt as if her mind was about to rip in two...   
  
The thief Bastion watched the sleeping trio from a distance. "Nobles" He hissed "Scythe will be happy when she sees that I've disposed of them. The man she says is form the kingdom of Tristan, we're to leave him alone, but are to capture the defect Dragonmen and the woman before they make it to there destination, the Tower of Shadow"   
The major next to him nodded, and motioned with his hand for the twenty troops surrounding them to move in.   
Ramda lay there, wide awake, but not showing it. Gigg and Dream did the same, each waiting for the troops to move in closer before jumping into battle. They waited until the troops were feet away, and then they attacked, Gigg jumped up, and became a tornado of swiping claws. Ramda jumped up as well, but for a different reason. He grabbed Dream's wrist and pulled her to him, not trusting her to run on her own he flung her light body into his arms and they departed.   
Leaving Gigg behind.   
  
Dawn passed, and then midday. Still Ramda protectively help his captive until they were there. The Tower of Shadow. The tower itself was enormous, reaching to the clouds, and yet it couldn't be seen form even a short distance. Ramda let Dream down, and the two silently approached it.   
"Are we here?" Dream thought. "Is this where he's going to take me? Why?" Millions of questions ran through her head. Fear and an odd feeling of remembrance echoed through Dream as Ramda pushed open the great mahogany doors. "You'd better hope Frest feels sorry for you and lets you live, apprentice." Ramda hissed as they walked down the hall of the tower. Only a flickering candle Ramda held lit the way.   
"Frest?" Dream asked. The name sounded familiar but...   
They walked a few feet farther before a man her view.   
"Lord Frest." Ramda exclaim with a bow "I've completed my mission.   
Frest nodded, his thick curly brown hair, much like Dream's flew around him as he turned to her.   
"Welcome Dream, apostle of Death" 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2   
  
  
"Apostle of Death?!" Dream stammered. "You're wrong! I'm not a follower of the Dark God!   
Frest nodded. "Through you he will rise again. That's what Scythe and Gaul have been training you to do, to be." He looked her over for a minute, stopping at her eyes. "Your family-"   
"I have none." Dream interrupted. Once again the man nodded. "Then they won't notice you're gone."   
"Whose 'they'?"   
Frest continued. "Dream of Fandaria, I have a mission for you. I call upon thee to gather the eight members of the Star Dragon Harsgalt, known to you as the Dragon Force!" His words were meant to strike Dream in awe, but it only had that effect on Ramda.   
"W-what?! You're getting an apostle to carry out that task?"   
"That task?" Was Dream's dazed response. Dragon Force? She had never heard of them, or it.   
"Dragon Force... You don't know of it?" Frest said, reading her mind. "Scythe and Gaul never told you of it?" He paused "Let me explain.   
  
  
Legendra's creation   
  
The ancients tell of a time before Legendra, there was a God, and his name was Toul.   
Toul is known as the father of all living things. Toul loved to create and give life. However, he was alone. He then decided to make to helpers for himself. He created six beautiful goddesses and six mighty gods. The goddesses he granted the power to create and the power to destruct to the gods. Toul was pleases with his creation and he entered a deep sleep.   
The goddesses began to create a universe full of stars, moons and planets. The Goddesses placed all of these things under the control of the Star Dragon.   
The Star Dragon not only looked after the well being of these creations, but he also worked with the Gods to turn some of the stars into dust. The Goddesses would then use this dust to create. This cycle continued for generations.   
Legend does state that once the six Goddesses and the six Gods finish their creation Toul will awaken to view it. Thus Toul will be reborn.   
  
The Legend of the Star Dragon   
  
By the means of Toul's will the Star Dragon and the stars were created.   
The Star Dragon's life is connected to the stars. With the help of the Goddesses the Star Dragon governed over the vast universe they created. However, the Star Dragon, with the help of the six Gods would turn some of the stars into dust.   
When all of the stars have turned to dust the Star Dragon will turn to dust as well.   
  
Birth of Legendra   
- As recorded by the elves   
  
Legendra is the creation of Harsgalt, the Star Dragon. Harsgalt decided to create a star and his creation began to be known as Harsgalt's Star.   
The six Goddesses and Harsgalt began to bless the star by turning it into a beautiful planet. They divided the oceans and land began to appear on its surface. In the middle of the planet there was a continent without equal. They called the land 'Legendra'. It was so enormous that four seasons would take place somewhere on it all year round. Rivers began to emerge and the land was clothed in vegetation.   
  
The Age of Life   
  
Astea, the foremost Goddess, loved Legendra and blessed it. She felt something else was needed to make Legendra truly beautiful. She then created three tribes: Elves, Humans, and Beasts. Each tribe was created in the appearance of a God.   
The elf tribe was created first. Astea gave them the will to create and granted them a long life span. Then Astea created humans, she gave them the will to change things for the better, however, and they were only given a short life span. At last Astea created the Beast tribe. The beasts were more barbaric looking then the other two tribes. Astea so pleased with her creation that she decreed that she would stay and continue to bless them as long as they lived in peace.   
When the other Goddesses saw how beautiful this land was they went in search of a new star to change into a world. However Astea decided to stay and bless this land.   
Thus Legendra entered into a brilliant new era.   
  
The Invasion of Madruk   
  
The land of Legendra began to prosper and became very appealing to the Gods, especially Madruk. Madruk was the firstborn of the Gods and considered himself the most powerful.   
Madruk continued to look longingly at the world. With lust in his eyes he began to desire to rule it. He knew that only by destroying Astea and her sisters would he have the power to destroy the other Gods. Upon their death would he claim their power. After claiming all of this power he would be strong enough to destroy Toul.   
Madruk brought forth fiends to destroy the tribes of Legendra. The tribes, however, despite their weak appearance, banded together and in many instances proved stronger them Madruk's minions.   
Backed by Madruk's dark power the fiends seemed without end. Astea pleaded with Harsgalt to help save the land of Legendra. But Harsgalt refused to become directly involved with the conflict. But the cries of the people began to reach clear up into the heavens. Harsgalt then decided to give eight holy warriors his dragon power. So the warriors, Faust, Miral Farla, others and myself (Frest) fought for the fate of Legendra.   
These warriors led the tribes in an all out war against Madruk. They began to conquer the land Madruk had ripped away from them, the tide of the battle began to change and the moral of the people improved with each passing battle.   
In the heat of the battle things began to go wrong. These eight worriers had become haughty and arrogant. They began to take their power for granted. They felt that they were the ones responsible for saving the land. Each one began to lose sight of the escalating war and began to desire to rule over Legendra as an all-powerful monarch.   
Madruk's anger continued to blaze against the land of Legendra due to the fact that they were able to stand up against such a mighty god. Madruk sent fourth dragonmen to destroy the people. These dragonmen were once used to help turn the stars into dust. However, under Madruk's control they began to grind the people into dust.   
With the hope of the people fading the eight worriers refused to fight together. Clothed in pride they each decided to individually attack the dragonmen themselves. Astea pleaded with he worriers to work together. But they ignored her advice and were each slaughtered by the dragonmen. The tribes began to lose all hope.   
Astea again pleaded with Harsgalt to help her save the people. This time the guilt gnawing at his heart was too much and he decided to help, but only briefly. He decided to seal away the power of the dragonmen. Without the power the tribesmen defeated the dragonmen.   
Madruk was outraged. In some cases they proved victorious against Madruk's agents of death. He was so angered by these seemingly weak beings that he entered the battle and turned the seas red with their blood.   
Without the help of the dragonmen Madruk began to question his ability to achieve victory. However, Madruk's power eventually proved to be to strong for the people. The tribes cried to Astea for a miracle. Suddenly in their darkest hour Harsgalt lunged forth to save his world.   
Madruk knew that if he killed Harsgalt and claimed his power and would be able to kill Astea and her sisters.   
During the battle the winds howled, the land quaked, and the oceans crashed. The battle between the Dark God and the Mighty Dragon lasted for one thousand days. The people watched in awe as these two battled for the destiny of their world.   
Madruk's power was beginning to leave and Harsgalt's strength was beginning to fade. Enraged Madruk was able to unleash on last critical blow, leaving Harsgalt's wings in shreds. Despite his injury Harsgalt had enough power left to charge forth and sink his fangs deep into Madruk's throat. None of them were able to continue the fight.   
Astea had given much of her power to Harsgalt and was unable to kill the God. She was only given enough power to seal away Madruk until the time would come when the eight chosen worriers would again emerge.   
The dragonmen were no longer sealed with Harsgalt's power, so Astea locked them inside another dimension in Ruinledge Mountains   
Astea then awoke the eight warriors from death and commanded them to wait until nine new chosen worriers were born. She told them that when they were born they were to instruct them not to make the same mistakes as they did. Astea sealed the power of the eight warriors and gave it to Harsgalt, who held the Dragon Power ready for the nine worriers of the Dragon Force who were soon to come.   
After completing her tasks, Astea did not have enough power to leave this star or call upon her sisters for help. So she then lay down and entered a light sleep that would last just long enough for the nine chosen worriers to be born. With the help of those warriors, hopefully, Madruk could be destroyed...forever...   
  
Ninth Member   
  
Before drifting into her slumber Astea decided that there should be born a ninth member, to replace the Holy Warrior who was locked away. Before Madruk was sealed off he also decided on having a fourth apostle, one that using their power he could rise again. He had already locked off his compassion, so he used the darkest corners of his mind to create a new apostle.   
Thus Legenrdra's fate was unknown.   
  
  
Frest finished the story. "You of course are the apostle."   
"Eight." Dream muttered. "You said I needed to find eight, but there are nine new members..." A bright thought rushed forth. "Am I the ninth member?"   
"Why in the world would the ninth member also be an apostle?" Ramda hissed, and with a mere glance from Frest he become quiet again.   
Frest met Dream's dark eyes with his own of almost the same shade. "Ramda" He said, and the handsome man turned to him.   
"It was your job to capture her, and now it's your job to guide her, show Dream to the weaponry. Tomorrow you will head out."   
Dream stared at Frest, noticing for the first time that she had never told him her name,   
  
"Where is she?!" Snarled Gaul, his patience was about to run out. I had been a week and a half since Dream was captured, and still he didn't have her back.   
Bastion's lanky body stiffened. He had no answer. "Scythe!" Gaul motioned to his blue-haired partner. "Take the thief to the dungeon!"   
"And Gigg?" Scythe asked, a sickening smile already on her face. Gigg's muscles tightened at this, but he let no words escape form his mouth, as he knew that doing so would only please Scythe more. Then came the answer to Scythe's question, and it left no doubt in Gigg's mind of what would happen to him.   
"Scythe, you are free to do what you want with the defect." The Dragonmen could no longer help it, and howled as he was carried away.   
  
In the dungeon Bastion could still vividly recall Gigg's blood-curdling scream, though the Dragonmen had been tortured at the very top of the East tower, the sound had echoed down to the depths of his cell. But now the screams had long passed, and all that remained of them were the harsh memories, and thoughts of what might have happened to him.   
Yet Bastion knew he couldn't think of that now. He had to find a way out before he shared the same fate Gigg did. Sweat poured down the thief's face as he crawled to the back of his dimly lit cell. He had escaped from many dungeons before, so he knew what he should look for to help in his escape, a weak wall, a crack in the stone or wood, or anything else that might has been a mistake in the builder's part, or could have occurred from old age.   
Finally he found something. A large crack ran all the way through the roach infested wall. He cautiously peered through it to see black rich soil.   
"The dungeon must be underground" Bastion muttered. Now his chances of escaping were slim, but he had to try, so Bastion gingerly pressed his hot body against the wood, and pressed his fingers in the crack, gently applying pressure.   
The wood slowly began to break off, and soil fell through to the hard cold stone floor. Bastion felt a ray of hope as he dug his fingers into the soil, and franticly began clawing at it.   
Large chunks of the Earth fell to the floor, as Bastion continued to rip at the soil. Dirt and the insides of Earthworms began to pile up underneath his fingernails, but he ignored it.   
He gasped at the fresh air, as the sun fell, and filled up the cell with its heavenly rays. Then the thief crawled out, and fell limply to the grass beneath him.   
"Gods" He gasped, ignoring his escape. "It's going to take me forever to get home..." 


End file.
